PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a featherweight MMA rules bout between Hacran Silva (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Michael Thigpen (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Over to our ring announcer for the fighter introductions!

Silva
vs
Thigpen

171 cm
18
145 lbs
2 - 3 - 0

170 cm
25
144 lbs
2 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Counter fighter
Granite chin

Good takedowns
Decent boxing
Can Moonwalk

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the featherweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 2 - 3 - 0, fighting out of London, Hacran Silva!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 2 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Sydney, Michael Thigpen!
The judges for this bout are Paul Tew, Daniel Bishop and Richard Clark.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!

Thigpen manages to get an easy takedown there - catching Silva on his heels. He'll look to pass Silva's guard now, I'm sure.
Silva is trying to stand up but he's not managed so far.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.
Thigpen keeps in close for a moment and lands a decent shot to the side of Silva's head.
Silva is trying to stand up but he's not managed so far.
Silva keeping moving, preventing Thigpen from controlling successfully.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Thigpen prevents Silva from getting back to his feet.
Thigpen stays in close to Silva's body and controls the position.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Thigpen postures up to throw the ground and pound strikes but they don't connect.

The referee has decided to stand the fighters back up, so we'll restart on the feet.

Thigpen looking to shoot here. He's gone for it and he's landed a takedown into side control! Oh, that's bad for Silva!
Silva is trying to get back to his feet.
Thigpen is staying tight to Silva's torso, preventing him from escaping.
Thigpen wants to stand but Silva is controlling his arm.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Thigpen postures up a little and throws a couple of hammerfists but they don't connect properly.
Thigpen is working Silva over with some ground and pound from side control.
Thigpen wants to lay and pray for a moment but Silva keeps working.
Silva is looking to work his way out of this bad position but Thigpen is controlling him well.

The referee has decided to stand the fighters back up, so we'll restart on the feet.
Silva looks to have improved his striking defense since last time we saw him fight.

Thigpen moves into the clinch successfully.
Silva misses with a shot to the kidneys.
Silva wants to push off and get back to the center of the mat but Thigpen has him pressed against the cage.

Thigpen works for the underhooks and manages to get a trip takedown into guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Thigpen is intent on slowing down the pace of the fight, simply looking to control.
Silva working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Thigpen.
Thigpen is stalling in the full guard.
Silva working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Thigpen.
Thigpen is just sitting in guard, looking to avoid any submissions.
Thigpen won't allow Silva to get back to his feet.
The referee must be thinking about standing these guys back up.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
A lull in the action here being met with boos from the crowd.
Thigpen working in close now, lands a nice elbow to the side of Silva's head.
Silva wants to stand up but Thigpen is controlling him.
The fighters are starting to perspire pretty heavily.
Thigpen wants to pass the guard but Silva is keeping the position.

The referee has decided to stand the fighters back up, so we'll restart on the feet.

Thigpen throws the overhand right but ducks down into a quick takedown attempt. Silva was covering up waiting for the punch and Thigpen finishes the takedown easily into guard.
Silva wants to stand and escape but Thigpen is having none of it.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Thigpen missing there with some ground and pound from the guard.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Michael Thigpen dominated that round.
That's time! Back to the action!

Thigpen has taken the fight to the clinch.
Silva tries to land a shot to the body but it's blocked.
Silva struggles to land a body shot inside as Thigpen controls his hands.
Silva tries to break the clinch but Thigpen is controlling the position.
Silva blocks a body shot from Thigpen.

Thigpen tightens his grip and picks Silva up, before dumping him to the ground. Silva manages to land in guard.
Thigpen stays in close to Silva's body and controls the position.
Thigpen wants to stand but Silva has a closed guard, so he can't escape.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Thigpen working some ground and pound from guard but it's not doing any damage.
Silva keeping moving, preventing Thigpen from controlling successfully.
Silva wants to stand but Thigpen is controlling the position.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Thigpen is intent on slowing down the pace of the fight, simply looking to control.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up.
Thigpen moves out of range as Silva throws a body kick.
Thigpen is loading up here, looking for a big counter of his own.
Thigpen throws a body kick that misses.

Thigpen feints and as Silva raises his hands in defense, Thigpen changes levels and drives through with a takedown into guard.
Thigpen stops Silva from standing up.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Thigpen throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Silva works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
Thigpen is frustrating his opponent with some stalling tactics from top position.
Thigpen stops Silva from standing up.
Thigpen not doing a lot at the moment. He'll have to show some more aggression or the fight will get stood up.
Thigpen in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.
Thigpen throws a big elbow that misses.

The ref stands the fighters back up due to a lack of activity.
Hacran Silva is looking to throw some combinations by the looks of things.

Thigpen shoots in from a long way out. He's driving through with the takedown attempt and he eventually gets it, landing in Silva's guard.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Thigpen is intent on slowing down the pace of the fight, simply looking to control.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Thigpen throwing shots from guard but he's hitting more mat than opponent.
Silva wants to stand and escape but Thigpen is having none of it.
Thigpen would like to get this fight back to the feet but can't get free from the closed guard.
Thigpen must be cautious of submissions here, given that his opponent has the superior Jiu Jitsu.
Thigpen keeps in close for a moment and lands a decent shot to the side of Silva's head.
Thigpen wants to stand but Silva has a closed guard, so he can't escape.

The referee has stepped in and called for a break in the action. We'll restart on the feet.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Neither fighter has done anything of merit for a good minute or two here and the crowd are not happy about it.
Silva lunges in with swinging rights and lefts but Thigpen circles away quickly and effectively.
Thigpen has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
Silva takes a punch to the jaw and another one to the bread basket.

Thigpen clinches.
Silva tries to throw a body punch but Thigpen avoids it by throwing Silva back against the cage.
Thigpen keeps the fight in the clinch, despite Silva's efforts to push away.
Silva tries to throw a body punch but Thigpen avoids it by throwing Silva back against the cage.
Silva tries to circle away but Thigpen has him pinned against the cage.
Silva tries to work over Thigpen's body with a swooping hook but it only glances the target.
Thigpen wants to stall.
Silva misses with a body punch.
Boooooooooooooooooooo!!! God, this has been a terrible round. Come on you two, sort yourselves out!
Thigpen prevents a body shot from Silva.
Thigpen is trying to break the clinch but Silva has him pressed against the cage.
Silva tries to land a knee to the body but he is off balance and Thigpen avoids it.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Michael Thigpen showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
The corners get their ten second warning. Both fighters stand from their stools and stare eachother down, ready to get back to the action. This is the final round!

Thigpen goes to the watering hole and comes back with a big thumbs up from the judges as he scores a three punch combo.
Thigpen swinging wildly here.
Silva appears to be looking for a big counter.
Thigpen will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.

Thigpen has closed the distance and engaged Silva in a clinch.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Silva misses with a shot to the kidneys.
Silva tries to land a shot to the body but it's blocked.
Silva utilising his Muay Thai to score with a knee to the body.
Thigpen wants to break free but Silva has control.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Silva cracks Thigpen with a nice body shot.
Silva can't find room to land a body shot as Thigpen controls the action.
Silva misses with a punch to the body.
Silva is trying to stall.
Thigpen prevents a body shot from Silva.
Silva goes for a body shot but it's blocked.

Silva's corner calls for him to break the clinch, which he does.

Thigpen gets the takedown into side control.
Thigpen postures up a little and throws a couple of hammerfists but they don't connect properly.
Thigpen scoring with punches and elbows.
Silva is looking to work his way out of this bad position but Thigpen is controlling him well.
Thigpen remains in side control and seems content to stay there. It's a versatile position from which he can work both strikes and submissions, whilst maintaining that control, so maybe he'll sit here for a while.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Silva is not content to let Thigpen control the position.
Thigpen lands some shots froms side control.
Silva is putting a lot of effort into getting back to his feet here.
Silva is not content to let Thigpen control the position.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Silva is trying to buck Thigpen off.
Thigpen in side control, trying to ground and pound but not landing this time.
Thigpen cracks Silva with an elbow. That is naaassty.
Silva wants to get back to his feet but Thigpen drags him back down.
Thigpen scores with a couple of nice shots to the head there. The referee takes a look at Silva to see if he's OK.
Thigpen controls the position from side control.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
The crowd are starting to boo a lack of action.
Silva defending against the ground and pound.
A lull in the action here as Thigpen stalls from top position.

The referee has decided to stand the fighters back up, so we'll restart on the feet.
Silva scores with a one two! Thigpen had his feet all tangled up there and couldn't avoid the strikes.

Thigpen looks for a takedown. He's got it. We're now in half guard.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Silva won't allow Thigpen to pass to mount.

And that's the end of the fight!
Michael Thigpen comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I've got Thigpen winning every round here. Surely the decision will go his way and he'll pick up a well deserved decision victory. Over to the ring announcer for the scorecards.

Ladies and gentlemen, after 3 rounds of action, we go to the scorecards for a decision.

Judge Paul Tew scores the fight for Michael Thigpen!
Judge Daniel Bishop scores the fight for Michael Thigpen!
Judge Richard Clark scores the fight for Michael Thigpen!

Michael Thigpen wins by unanimous decision!